Intense storms expected in western US

A series of intense storm systems are expected to bring abundant rainfall and strong winds to the western US this week. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), several inches of precipitation will fall across parts of Washington, Oregon, and California, in coastal areas and foothills in particular. Higher elevations can expect snowfall and strong winds could pose a hazard to high-profile vehicles.

Unsettled weather over the eastern Pacific, fueled by a deep low pressure system offshore is expected to kick in early this week. Rainstorms will likely develop over the Intermountain West while higher mountains will experience snowfall. Coastal regions, extending from the northern California to Washington state can expect strong winds.

According to the NWS, a surface cyclogenesis over the Midwest states will results in numerous showers and rainstorms by the morning of October 26 (local time). Intense thunderstorms are possible to the south of the warm front, which will lift northward to the Ohio Valley while cold rains are in store for Wisconsin and Michigan.

The first storm is expected to over the Pacific Northwest Coast through October 25. The storm will be preceded by a moisture plume that will bring rain and thunderstorms across the Southern California, including Los Angeles to the Rockies.

Short Range Forecast, October 24, 2016. Image credit: NWS/NOAA

Short Range Forecast, October 25, 2016. Image credit: NWS/NOAA

Short Range Forecast, October 26, 2016. Image credit: NWS/NOAA

"Several storms will spin off the northwestern United States coast bringing rounds of rain, heavy at times, from northern California to Washington," said Mike LeSeney, an AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist.

A second system will move up the northern California coast and the Northwest during the night of October 25 and 26 (local time) with some rain expected on October 27, as well. This storm will not be as intense as the first one and rainstorms are expected across the region of Seattle to Portland, Oregon and Crescent City, California.

Northwestern California will experience the strongest rainfall, as between 101.6 and 152.4 mm (4 and 6 inches) of accumulated rain is likely by the middle of the week. Localized flash flooding is likely. Abundant precipitation will fall on October 24 and continue into the night (local time). The area west of the Interstate-5 corridor in Washington and Oregon will experience between 25.4 and 76.2 mm (1 and 3 inches) of rainfall.

"Rainfall will generally be light but still a nuisance for travelers on Monday and Tuesday from Seattle to Portland before steadier rain arrives on Wednesday. Rain totals will generally be an inch or less in these areas," said Kristina Pydynowski, an AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist.

Rain will reach the San Francisco area, as well, although expected amounts of precipitation are much lower than in the region northward the Oregon border.

"Winds will gust between 80.5 and 96.6 km/h (50 and 60 mph) along the coast of Oregon and from northern California to south-central Oregon on Monday into Monday evening," Pydynowski added.

Downed trees and power outages are expected.

The Cascades can expect some snowfall, according to the forecast.

"Snow levels will drop to 1 828.8 m (6 000 feet) by Monday evening and will even dip to 1 676.4 (5 500 feet) by Tuesday morning. However, most showers will have tapered off by Tuesday morning with the majority of the rain confined to places toward the coast," said Pydynowski.

Snow levels will increase to at least 2 438.4 m (8 000 feet) by the time the second storm sets in.

Latest articles

At least 8 people are missing and hundreds were evacuated as Very Severe Cyclonic Storm "Mekunu" ravaged Yemen's island of Socotra on Wednesday night, May 23, 2018. Mekunu is another unusual tropical cyclone to form in the Arabian Sea within 10 days....

The moderate-level eruption of lava continues from multiple points along the central and northeast end of the active fissure system. Volcanic gas emissions have tripled as a result of the voluminous eruptions from the erupting fissures so SO2 concentrations are...

New activity/unrest was observed at 4 volcanoes between May 16 and 22, 2018. During the same period, ongoing activity was reported for 12 volcanoes. New activity/unrest: Kilauea, Hawaiian Islands (USA) | Langila, New Britain (Papua New Guinea) | Merapi, Central Java...

A severe storm swept over French capital Paris on May 22, 2018, flooding streets and Metro stations. Just a few days ago, intense hailstorm further south in Vaucluse destroyed almost a year's worth of Luberon cherry tree crops. The capital's streets looked...

A newly discovered asteroid designated 2018 KW1 will flyby Earth at a distance of 0.39 LD or 0.00100 AU (~ 149 597 km / 92 955 miles) on May 23, 2018. This is the second known asteroid to flyby Earth within 1 lunar distance since May 15 and 33rd this year. KW1...

Tropical Storm 02A, internationally known as Mekunu, formed May 22, 2018 over the Southwest Arabian Sea as the second named storm of the 2018 North Indian Ocean cyclone season. The cyclone is strengthening on its way toward the southwestern coast of Oman and eastern...

Following four new explosions at Indonesia's Merapi volcano on May 20 and 21, 2018, authorities have raised the alert level for the volcano from Alert Level 1 to 2 at 23:00 UTC on May 21, 2018. All residents living within 3 km (2 miles) are ordered to evacuate....

Karachi, the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh, home to over 21 million people and the fourth most populous city proper in the world, is experiencing severe heatwave over the past couple of days, with temperatures rising up to 43 °C (109.4 °F) and...

Just 10 days after a powerful explosion at Mount Merapi in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, another phreatic eruption took place at the volcano at 01:25 local time on May 21, 2018 (18:25 UTC, May 20). The explosion lasted 19 minutes and ejected ash up to 4.3 km...

Heavy rainfall that hit parts of Burundi on May 4, 2018 led to significant flooding in Gatumba, approximately 12 km (7 miles) from the city of Bujumbura. A joint assessment conducted on May 9 by Burundi Red Cross Society, the government of Burundi, OCHA, WFP,...

Severe storms that hit Sri Lanka on Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, 2018, left at least three people dead and over 8 000 affected. Weather authorities warned residents the country is facing its annual southwest monsoon and that more rains are expected in...

Heavy rainfall and deadly floods continue affecting Afghanistan after unusually dry winter. Just days after floods took away lives of at least 34 people and 600 animals, a new wave of heavy torrential rains, flash flooding and landslides claimed lives another 17...

A moderate-level eruption of lava continues from multiple points along the central and northeast end of the active fissure system at Hawaiian Kilauea volcano. Residents in lower Puna should remain informed and heed Hawaii County Civil Defense closures, warnings, and...

A rare tropical cyclone formed May 16, 2018 in the Gulf of Aden, between Yemen and Somalia. Named Tropical Cyclone 01A and internationally known as Sagar, this cyclone's main threat is substantial rainfall (for desert regions), leading up to dangerous flash...

A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.2 hit south of the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand at 01:45 UTC on May 18, 2018. The agency is reporting a depth of 10.6 km (6.6 miles). The epicenter was located 544.2 km (338.1 miles) NE of Opotiki...

A strong explosion took place at the Overlook vent within Halemaumau crater at Kilauea volcano's summit about 04:15 HST (14:15 UTC) on May 17, 2018, ejecting ash up to 9.1 km (30 000 feet) above sea level. The Aviation Color Code is at Red. Continued emissions...

InFocus

In a recent interview with AgWeb, the president and CEO of Hackett Financial Advisors, Shawn Hackett, explains why he thinks our civilization will have to come up with new ways of growing food over the next 5 years. Read more

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes…
the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them,
glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things… they
push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are
crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do."